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There have been many meetings to oppose the increased endowment of May- nooth College. A meeting of bankers, merchants, and traders of the City of London, convened by the Led Mayor, who presided, was held at the London Ta- vern, on Monday. .About a thousand persons were present. Mr. John Labou- there was the first speaker. Another was Mr. Daniel Whittle Harvey; who did not oppose the grant on account of the Anti-Popish motives avowed by other speakers, but, first, because it was uncalled for; and secondly, because if it were called for, the money should not come out of the taxes of this country. He at- tacked the Established Church of Ireland—an army of crusaders sent forth to Protestantize Ireland, but really doing nothing for the 600,0001. a year which it receives. This assault gave rise to a good deal of angry interruption; but the facile orator restored good humour before he finished. The meeting passed a re- aolution in which the "deepest repugnance" was expressed to "the permanent endowment of the Romish College of Maynooth; considering that measure to in- volve a distinct renunciation of the national Protestantism, to which it would humbly ascribe that Divine blessing which has raised Great Britain to the pre- sent elevation of power and wealth and prosperity." The meeting also avowed the opinion, "that before attempting the introduction of so great a change in the na- tional policy, there ought to have been offered, on the part of its promoters, some distinct explanation of the course intended to be pursued on the great question of religious endowments. And, without implying or admitting that such a question ought to be entertained at all, this meeting considers that those who have pro- pounded the present measure should at least explain whether their object is to establish two religions in Ireland, or three, or what number." And the haste with which the measure was hurried forward was strongly protested against On the same day was held, at Covent Garden Theatre, "an aggregate meeting of Protestants of all denominations, to protest against the establishment of Popery." The theatre was well filled. Mr. R. C. L. Bevan was called to the chair. Among the speakers were the Reverend Dr. Croly, of St. Stephen's Wal- brook, and some other reverend gentlemen of the Established Church or the Dis- senting sects, Captain Trotter, and Sir Culling Eardley Smith. In opening the business of the day, the Chairman complained that he had supported the cause [of the present Government] with his exertions and his money, because he thought he was supporting the cause of religion; but he had found out his mistake. 1)r. Croly provoked a good deal of irritation by virulent attacks on Popery. He eulogized the exclusion of Papists from Parliament in William the Third's time as a mark of the wisdom by which a Protestant constitution had been saved; and be assailed Catholic Emancipation—" the bill of 1829, that unhappy, rash, ill- jUdged, and fatal measure." Some uproar arising, the Chairman decided that the question of Emancipation was one which ought not to be introduced, and he hoped that no further reference would be made to it. Dr. Croly bowed to the opinion of the Chair, although it was by no means his opinion; and he went on thus. Within twelve months of the passing of that measure of which he was prohibited from giving an opinion, a greater number of extraordinary changes occurred in this country than over were known before. The King—a popular King, too—soon after he had put his signature to it, was carried from this world. The House of Lords was degraded in the face of the people. The House of Commons—another delinquent—was punished in the most memorable and complete manner that ever occurred in the history of the Legislature. The resolutions adopted by the meet- hag set out in this manner—" That as it has pleased Almighty God to place our beloved country, since its reformation from Popery, first among the kingdoms of Europe for wealth, power, and liberty, so it would be, in the judgment of this meeting, a fearful dereliction of duty, and an act of base ingratitude to the Su- preme Ruler of nations, to abandon those Protestant principles which have been the foundation of our country's prosperity." A second resolution protested "against every interference with the undoubted right of petitioning, by an at- tempt to hurry an important measure through Parliament." A third declared, "That in the event of the Maynooth Bill passing the second reading, this meeting will reassemble in order to take into consideration the duty of Protestant electors at the next general election; that the Central Anti-Maynooth Committee convene. such meeting as speedily as possible, and that in the mean time they take such preparatory steps as they may deem advisable." At a meeting in Surrey Chapel, on Tuesday, (Sir Culling Eardley Smith pre- siding,) the following resolution was carried, among others—" That this meeting,. cleaving to the oath which her Majesty took at her first appearance before hen Parliament, that the Roman Catholic religion is superstitious and idolatrous, and believing that the measure, if carried, would °fiend the Majesty of Heaven, jeopardize the Protestant succession to the Throne, and bring the judgments of God on the nation, determines, in His strength, and under a solemn responsibility to preserve unadulterated His holy gospel, to use every constitutional means against so unhallowed and unprincipled a measure." Meetings have also been held at the Tabernacle in Moorfields, at Union Chapel, Parish Street, Tooley Street, in Bermondsey, and elsewhere.
A meeting of English Roman Catholics was held at Freemason's Tavern et Tuesday, to support the Maynooth endowment. The Earl of Arundel and Surrey' was called to the chair; and on the platform were Lord Beaumont, Lord Camoys, Lord Edward Howard, the Honourable Edward Petre, the Honourable Charles Langdale, the Honourable C. Clifford, and several other leading gentlemen, clerical and lay. The speakers used the most emphatic terms of praise in speak- ing of the Minister who introduced the measure. Lord Camoys said, as regarded the policy of the measure, he thought it was a strong circumstance in its favour that all statesmen, both of the present and preceding Cabinets, supported it. So much for the measure itself; but the manner of giving the boon deserved their gratitude. It had been given in such a way as threw a charm around it which had enlisted the sympathies of the entire Irish nation; and Sir Robert Peel might be assured that his -hopes would not be vain if he anticipated a grateful return from the people of that country. Other concessions had been made with before' but they had been trammelled th conditions which had destroyed their grace; here* however, was a concession free from any degrading condition, and unlimited na the amount of good which might be derived from it It was a measure which deserved the approbation of every well-wisher of his country; and Sir Robert Peel might rest satisfied that when he should accompany her Majesty to Ireland, he would find the expressions of approbation of him as a Minister where he would. most wish to see them—mingled with the cheers of loyalty and affection for his Sovereign. Mr. Sergeant Shee expressed the thanks of the Catholics to the Whig supporters of the measure; but he described his fellows as rejoicing over the one sinner that repenteth (Sir Robert Peel) more than over the ninety-nine that are al- ways just. Among the resolutions, one declared," That whatever affects the civil and religious condition of the Irish Roman Catholics, whether for good or evil, deeply interests the sympathies of their fellow Catholics in England." Another expressed gratitude for a measure which would so much benefit the Irish Catholics; and a third ran thus—" That this meeting deeply regret the tone assumed at this time by too many of their Protestant fellow-subjects; that they feel much sorrow when they see unfounded and they fondly hoped forgotten charges renewed against them. But, often as these charges have been successfully refuted, they feel their best return for calumny—they hope arising from misapprehension—is the charity and patience inculcated by their Church." All the resolutions were carried una- nimously, as well as petitions to Parliament founded on them.
At the Central Criminal Court, on Saturday, two cabmen were tried for as- saulting Mr. Green, a City clerk, with intent to commit a highway-robbery. Mr. Green was returning home one night after drinking freely, and he went into.. public-house. Here one of the men importuned him to take a cab, which he re- fused to do. but he gave both of them some drink. On leaving the house, they followed and while he was in George Yard, Soho, he was knocked down by a. violent blow on the head from one of the prisoners; while the other remained with the cab, on the watch. At this moment Policeman Clark came up; the mart on, the cab called out to his accomplice, who quitted Mr. Green, and the two drove off at a rapid rate. The Policeman pursued and captured them. Mr. Green was found lying insensible, in a pool of blood. The prisoners were found guilty, and. sentenced to be transported for fifteen years. The Judge ordered Policeman Clark to be rewarded with 51. for the promptitude with which he acted.
On the same day, Pratt, a sailor, was indicted for forging and uttering a check for ten guineas on Messrs. Herries and Company, the bankers. The prisoner re- presented himself to divers persons as the son of the Right Honourable C. J. Her- nes and said be had just arrived from India. Having purchased a watch of Mr. Derit of the Strand, he paid for it with a check signed Herries which the bankers, cashed. He was convicted, and sentenced to ten years transportation.
Mr. Wakley has addressed a letter to the Times in correction of a report of what passed before Mr. Baron Rolfe in chambers last week. Application was made to the Judge for a writ of habeas corpus to bring Connor before the Coro- ner's Jury: according to the reports it was refused as without precedent, improper, and beyond the power of the Judges; but "not one of the sentences attributed to the learned Judge was uttered by him. The legal argument was admirably con- ducted by Mr. Petersdorffi and by that gentleman alone. The learned Judge did not doubt that he had fa power to issue such a writ, for the purpose of taking the prisoner before the Coroner's Court; and his refusal in this particular case was founded distinctly and solely on the ground that the sessions bad commenced at which the prisoner stood committed-for trial. The propriety of the course which had been adopted by the Jury was not questioned."
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